Automatic fastener for car-doors.



No. 737,657. PATENTED SEPT. 1, 1903. L. B. PERRIN. AUTOMATIC FASTENER FDR GAR DOORS.

APPLIOATION FILED DEG. 15, 1902.

INVENIHA .WIIN 5555; I g w; a. W.

UNlTED STATES Fatented September 1, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

AUTOMATIC FASTENER FOR CAR-DOORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 7 37,657, dated September 1, 1903.

Application filed December 15,1902. Serial No. 135,241. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom, it may concern.-

Beit known that I, LESTER B. Pnnsrma citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne, State of Michigan, have invented certain new and-useful Improvements in Automatic Fasteners for Car- Doors; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to an automatic fastener especially designed for car-doors, but adapted to other uses; and it consists in the construction and arrangement of parts here inafter fully set forth, and pointed out particularly in the claims.

The object of the invention is to provide simple and efficient means for fastening a car-door automatically when it is moved to the closed position and afford a seal for the fastener in a manner to prevent surreptitious access to the car without detection.

The above object is attained by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figurel is a plan view of the fastener,showing the members in alocked position,the covering-plate for a portion of the fastener be ing removed. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the parts in the locked position and sealed. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the parts unlocked. and the car-door partially opened. Fig. i is a sectional view as on line Fig. 5 is a sectional view as on 1 4L 4 of Fig. 3. line 5 5 of Fig. 1.

designates an ordinary car-door, portions of which are broken away, and 2 designates a portion of the side of the car adjacent to dooropening. Upon the door is mounted a block 3, having a curved recess 4 therein and provided with a fixed jaw member 5. Mounted on the side of the car, adjacent to the jamb 6 of the door, is a projecting case 7, in which the movable members of the fastener are located, said case being provided with a removable top plate 8, having a raised portion 9. Pivotod in the outwardly-projccting porand the bottom 10 of the case, is a jaw member having a curved outer end 11, adapted for engagement in the recess 4 of the head 3 and having afiat portion 12 with a beveled edge adapted to swing within the recess of the case, the pivot of said jaw member being indicated at 13. Within the recess of the case is a locking plate or member 14., having a projecting end 15, pivoted at 16 within said recess. Bearing upon said locking member is a curved spring 17, whose tension is normally exerted to hold the forward end of said member down. Mounted upon and projecting from the upper face of the said locking member is a finger 18, which extends through a slot 19 in the upper plate, whereby a free movement of said finger is permitted in actuating said member. The outer edge of said locking member is beveled from the under side, as shown at 20 in Fig. 4, to enable the portion 12 of the hinged jaw member to slide thereunder when the door of the car is closed, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

When unfastened, the parts stand in the position shown in Fig. 3. As the door'is closed the fixed jaw member 5 upon the head 3, carried by the door, engages the portion 12 of the hinged jaw member and swings said member upon its pivot 13, causing the portion 12 thereof to slide under the locking-plate 14. At the same time the curved outer end 11 of the hinged jaw member swings into the recess in the head 3, so that when the portion 12 of the hinged jaw shall have passed under the locking-plate 14 and said plate by the action of its spring 17 shall have dropped in front of said plate to lock it against swinging outwardly the curved outer end of the hinged Referring to the characters of reference, 1

jaw will have entirely entered the recess 4 in the head, so that the jaws 5 and 11 become interlocked, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, thereby securely maintaining the door in its closed position. When it is desired to unfasten the door, pressure is applied to the curved finger 18 to raise the plate 14 upon its pivot against the action of the spring 17, thereby releasing the portion 12 of the hinged jaw, when said jaw is free to turn on its pivot 13 and will swing outwardly as the door slides open, the fixed jaw member 5 carrying it to the position shown in Fig. 3, in which position the tion of the case, between the upper plate 8 parts are in readiness to be again looked as the door is closed. The arrangement of parts is such that the fastener is always set upon the opening of the door, to be automatically fastened when the door is closed without the necessity of any manipulation on the part of the operator to maintain the door fastened. To seal the fastener after the door has been closed, a staple 21 is placed upon the fixed jaw member 5 and an aperture is formed in the curved finger 18. Through said staple and aperture a Wire 23 is passed and its end secured in a lead seal 24:, as shown in Fig. 2, thereby preventing the unfastening of the door without destroying said seal.

Having thus fully set forth my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an automatic fastener for car-doors, the combination of a movable head having a fixed jaw member and a recess adjacent to said member, a pivoted jaw member having a curved outer end adapted to enter said recess, and having a fiat inner portion, a springactuated plate adapted to allow of the passage of said flat portion of the hinged jaw thereunder, and to engage and lock said flat portion when the outer curved end enters the recess in said head.

* 2. In an automatic fastener for car-doors, the combination of a movable head having a fixed jaw member,and arecess adjacent thereto, a hinged jaw member having a curved end adapted to swing into said recess, and a flat portion adapted to be engaged by said fixed jaw member as the parts are brought together, whereby the hinged member is ,moved into the locked position, and means for automatically locking said hinged member.

3. In an automatic fastener for car-doors, the combination of a movable head having a recess therein, a hinged jaw member having a projecting portion adapted to enter said recess, and having a rearwardly-extending portion adapted to be engaged by said head to swing the hinged member into a locked position, a spring-actuated locking-plate adapted to engage said hinged member when in the locked position, and a finger projecting from said plate whereby it may be raised to release said hinged member, and allow the lock to open.

4. In an automatic fastener for car-doors,

the combination of a movable head having a curved recess therein, a hinged jaw member provided with'a curved end adapted to enter said'recess when the parts are brought toa LESTER B. PERRIN.

Witnesses:

E. S. WHEELER, M. O. POOLE. 

